CITY OF LAREDO

                           CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL BUDGET WORKSHOP

                                   FOR PROPOSED FY 2001-2002 BUDGET

                                                          M2001-W-05

                                           CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

                                              1110 HOUSTON STREET

                                                    LAREDO, TEXAS

 

                                          THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2001

 

   I.       Call to Order

 

            With a quorum present, Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores called the meeting to order.

 

  II.      Pledge of Allegiance

 

            Mayor Elizabeth G. Flores led in the Pledge of Allegiance.

           

 III.      Roll Call

 

            In attendance:

            Elizabeth G. Flores,                                          Mayor

            Alfredo Agredano,                                            Council Member, District I

            Louis H.  Bruni,                                                Council Member, District II

            John C.  Galo,                                                  Council Member, District III

            Johnny Amaya,                                                 Council Member, District IV

            Eliseo Valdez, Jr.,                                             Mayor Pro Tempore, District V

            Joe A.  Guerra,                                                 Council Member, District VI

            Jose A.  Valdez, Jr.,                                         Council Member, District VII

            Juan Ramirez,                                                   Council Member, District VIII

            Gustavo Guevara, Jr.,                                       City Secretary

            Larry Dovalina,                                                 City Manager

            Cynthia Collazo,                                               Assistant City Manager

            Jaime Flores,                                                    City Attorney

 

IV.       Proposed Annual Budget Workshop for FY 2001-2002

 

            a.  Review and present FY 2001- 2002 Proposed Annual Budget (Continued)

 

                 J.  Engineering Services

                     Rogelio Rivera, City Engineer

 

                     1.  Engineering Operations

 

                          Major Programs and Activities Proposed

 

§         Repaired 86 street cuts per month

§         Patched 430 potholes per month

§         Speed Hump Construction

§         Improved response time

§         Reduced repeat patching

§         Established sprinkler system ordinance

 

Major Accomplishments – Street Construction

 

§         Fire Station No. 12

§         Ryan Street Paving

§         Juarez Ave. Paving

 

Major Accomplishments – Street Cleaning

 

§         1200 street lane miles swept

§         400 storm sewer inlets serviced per month

 

Major Accomplishments – Creek Maintenance

 

§         Maintained 741 acres of creek area (branch pickup)

§         Water Street right-of-way clean-up

§         Continue Concrete Pilot Channel program

 

                           Major Accomplishments – Building Rehab

 

§         Farias Police Substation

§         Recycling Drop-Off Center

 

Major Accomplishments – Construction Crew

 

§         Chaparral Park Pedestrian Bridge

 

                           Creek Cleaning Projects

 

§         Maintained 1100 acres of dedicated easements

 

Major Accomplishments – Landfill

 

§         Installed tire shredder – passed two TNRCC inspections

§         Semi-automatic garbage pilot program

 

                           Major Programs Proposed – Department of Public Works

 

§         New Solid Waste Facility

§         New Garbage Route Cost Analysis

o       new water connections:  1600 per year

o       building permits:  2000 per year

o       one new garbage route can handle 800-1000 new

      garbage pickups

 

§         New Garbage Route Expenses

o       new garbage truck               $25,000

o       fuel and maintenance  14,000

o       heavy truck driver                  16,286

o       two refuse collectors  29,286

o       benefits                                  12,760

o       materials and supplies              3,000

 

TOTAL EXPENSES $107,332

 

Mr. Rivera, City Engineer, proposed a motion to increase the $7.00 monthly garbage fee by $1.50 to $8.50.   He stated that this would increase revenues by $810,000.00.

     

                     2.   Status of Construction Projects

 

                 K.  Parks & Recreation Department

                       Horacio de Leon, Parks & Recreation Director

 

                       1.  Parks & Recreation Department

                      

                           Department Functions:

 

§         Maintenance of 90 parks or 638.2 acres

§         Maintenance of 4 plazas

§         Maintenance of 18 Little League fields and softball fields

§         Maintenance and operation of 5 swimming pools

§         Maintenance and operation of Veterans Field

§         Rentals of pavilions and pools

§         Operation of 6 recreational centers

§         Operation of 9 summer program sites

§         Recreational programming

§         CIP project management

§         Operation of City Cemetery

 

                           Capital Improvement Projects in Progress:

 

§         Eastwood Park                                           $ 150,000

§         Inner City Park                                              750,000

§         San Francisco & Eistetter Park Imp               200,000

§         Santa Rita Park                                             200,000

§         South Laredo Park                                        200,000

§         Zacate Creek Linear Park                              448,000

§         CIF Discretionary Improvements                   306,585

 

               TOTAL CIP PROJECTS                $2,254,585

 

                       2.  Cemetery Operations

 

                       3.  Veterans Field Operations

 

                                                               Planning and Development

 

§         Master Plan to acquire more land and develop more parks

§         Subdivision Ordinance

§         Fee Structure must be amended to increase revenues

§         Contracts and Agreements

 

                 L.  Library Department

                      Janice Weber, Library Director

 

 

                      1.  Library Operations

                                                                Performance Measures

 

      Category

Main

Library

Santo Nino

Branch

Bruni Plaza Branch

 

Book

Mobile

Estimate Totals

          Check Outs

                   244,864

         34,300

        13,832

    6,138

   299,134

Reference

Questions

           22,243

           4,670

          2,561

        n/a

     29,474

Computer

Uses

            47,426

          7,385

          8,534

        n/a

     63,345

Room Use/ Attendance

 2,728/    38,320

      104/ 1,202

                   n/a

330/ 9,938

2,832/ 49,460

 

Category

Main  Library

Santo Nino

Branch

Bruni Plaza

Branch

Book Mobile

Estimate Totals

     Programs

             3,506

             176

               32

      305

        4,019

Program Attendance

           68,248

          7,434

             426

   9,938

      86,046

       Visitors

 

    

270,750

 

56,290

 

29,520

 

10,000

 

366,560

Card Holders

           81,342

        10,123

             462

       n/a

      91,927

   

                                                        Accomplishments

 

§      Computer Labs

§      Weekend & Spanish Story Hours

§      Community Collaborations

o       WBCA  --  Telescopes  --  Dia de los Ninos  --  Center for the Arts Star Party programs

§      TexShare / E-books

§      Employee Incentive Program

 

                                         Library Program of Service for FY2002

 

§         Staffing of 5 vacancies

o       recruiting efforts

§               Programs

o       computer training for staff and public

§               Master Plan

§               TrnsBorder Library Forum

o       March 13 – 16, 2002

§               Archival Preservation Projects

§               Photo Restorations

 

                 M.  Public Works Department

                        Joe Guerra, Public Works Director

 

                        1.  Landfill Operations

 

                        2.  Public Works Operations

 

                     Joe Guerra, Public Works Director, requested that City Council consider a motion to increase the garbage collection fee by $1.50.

 

                     Motion to transfer $2,573,369.00 from the Solid Waste Management Fund to a restricted reserve fund for future closures expenses and post-closure costs.               

                

                        Moved:  Cm.  Galo

                        Second:  Cm.  J. Valdez, Jr.

                        For:     8                                   Against:  0                                Abstain:  0

                

8:00 p.m.        BREAK

 

                 N.  Traffic Department

                       Roberto Murillo, Traffic Director

 

                       1.  Traffic Operations

 

      Major Accomplishments FY 2000-2001

 

§         CBD Traffic Signal Controller Upgrades

§         Downtown Parking Facilities

§         Speed Hump Installation Ordinance

§         Street Name Sign Replacement Project

§         School/Warning Flasher Installations

§         Construction of Traffic Safety Warehouse

§         New Traffic Signals (3 locations)

 

                 O.  Bridge Department

                       Rafael Garcia, Bridge Director

 

                       1.  Bridge Operations

 

        Revenues:  Budget to Actual Comparison as of July, 2001

 

                             BUDGETED                                   $25,672,549

 

                             ACTUAL                                        $24,211,296

 

                                    Decrease of 6% ($1,461,253)

 

                                                                          Revenues

 

                             2000-2001 (estimated)                    $29,053,555                  2% increase

                             2001-2002 (projected)                    $31,808,301                10% increase*

 

                             * with approved $0.25 increase on non-commercial vehicles

 

                                                                        Commercial

 

                             2000-2001 (estimated)                    $1,382,175                    2% decrease

                             2001-2002 (proposed)                    $1,423,640                    3% increase

 

 

       Non-Commercial

 

      2000-2001 (estimated)                    $7,424,257                    1% increase

      2001-2002 (proposed)                    $7,466,635                    1% increase

 

                                                  All Vehicles

 

      2000-2001 (estimate)                      $8,806,432                    0% increase

      2001-2002 (proposed)                    $8,899,275                    1% increase

 

                                             Pedestrian

 

      2000-2001 (estimated)                    $4,330,065                    1% increase

      2001-2002 (proposed)                    $4,373,365                    1% increase

 

        Automatic Vehicle Identification System

        Status Report January through July, 2001

 

      Total # of Tag Customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .           1,600

      Total # of Tags Out  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .         6,200

      Total $ Deposit in Accounts  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $   520,000

      Total # of Tag Transactions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        600,000

 

                                           One-Time Swipe Cards

 

      Total # Sold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .        80,000

      Total $ Amount . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   $ 700,000

 

                           Motion to increase non-commercial bridge fees to $2.00.

 

                           Moved:  Cm. Ramirez

                           Second:  Cm. Agredano

                           For:     8                                Against:  0                                Abstain:  0

 

                       Mayor Flores stated that the additional $0.25 increment would be earmarked for one-time expenditures on the list.  She further stated that Beto Ramirez, Budget Director, would come back with the tax increase figures for operations.

 

                 P.   Airport Department

                       Jose Luis Flores, Airport Director

 

                       1.  Airport Operations

 

                  Major Accomplishments

 

§         Completed Rehab of Rwy 17R

§         Demolished 6 buildings

§         Private Sector Investments – Aviation

§         L. A. Ventures

§         Federal Express

§         Federal Aviation Administration Grants:  $4,754,379

§         $3,334,942      discretionary

§         $1,419,437      entitlement

§         Noise Abatement                      $ 2,500,000

§         Airport Master Plan                  $    300,000

§         Noise Study Update                 $    200,000

§         Rehab Runway 17R                  $    300,000

§         Rehab Taxiways                       $    580,000

§         Acq. Land Approach                $    239,379

§         Const. Service Road                 $    300,000

§         Const. Fuel Farm                      $    335,000

§         UT Health Science Center

§         Air Service – Aeromar

§         Purchased:

§         Airport and Fire Fighting Vehicle

§         Airport Sweeper

§         Paint Striping Machine

 

                                                          Proposed FY 2002 Programs/Projects

 

§         Pursue Passenger Jet Service

§         Pursue Federal Aviation Administration Grants

§         Continue Noise Abatement

§         Complete Airport Master Plan and Noise Study

§         Acquire RPZ parcels Rwy 35L

§         Construct:

-         North ½ Parallel Taxiway

-         Fuel Farm

-         Service Road

-         Construct Cargo Apron Pads

§         Rehab Portions of Taxiways

§         East Side Cargo Development

§         Demo Additional Buildings

§         Acquire Land for Compatibility

 

   V.     Adjournment                                                                              Time:  10:00 p.m.

 

            Motion to adjourn.

 

            Moved:  Cm. Agredano

            Second:  Cm. Amaya

            For:     8                                               Against:  0                                Abstain:  0

 

I, Gustavo Guevara, Jr., City Secretary, hereby certify that the above minutes contained in pages 01 through 9 are true, complete and correct proceedings of the Annual Budget workshop held on the 16th day of August, 2001.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        _______________________________

            Gustavo Guevara, Jr.

            City Secretary